Improvement in fire-proof buildings



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEo ANTHONY' wANNEa, 0E NEW YoEk, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENTVIN FIRE-PRQOF BUILDINGS.

Specification forming part vof Letters Patent No. 101,191, dated March 22, 1870.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTHONY WANNEE, of New York city and county and in the State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Proof Floors, Partitions, Roofs, Src.; and Ido hereby decl are the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings making a part of this speciiication, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a building, shown partly in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the hoor-castings. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are perspective views of sheet-iron cross-ties. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a hollow casting used as partition, and Fig. 7 is a horizontal section of a partition.

The same letters of reference employed in the several figures denote identical parts.

The nature of my invention consists in providing buildings with lire-proof oors, partitions, roofs, &c., the iire-proof material consisting of hollow castings made of plaster of Paris, which may be cast on the beams, thus always fitting closely and compact, and supported by cross-ties placed between the beams and resting on the bottom lange, with which cast-iron beams generally are provided. The hollowcastings may also be employed as partitions, and 'kept in place without cementing the castings together.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use myimprovement, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

Fig. 2 represents a transverse section ot' a floor-casting placed between parallel cast-iron beams. The castings are supported by sheetiron cross-ties, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, which rest ou the bottom anges of the beams. The castings are then made so as to fill up the space between the beams, and molds ot' a cylindrical or arch-like sh ape are placed in a parallel position to each other, so as to leave hollow tubes in the castings when said molds are withdrawn. By this process Hoor-castings are made on the place where they are to remain, and by being partly hollow the upper surface of the casting will remain cool even. it' the lower surface is heated. To prevent the wooden strips on which the floor-planks are fastened from resting on the hollow casting, the upper surface of the latter is curved downward, as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 represents a hollow casting, the sides and ends ot' which are provided with an anguiar groove. The partition-girder is placed in a diagonal position, and the angular groove of the casting iits over and covers the joist. The horizontal grooves of the castings may either be partly filled up with plaster of Paris, in order to cement the upper and lower castings together; or, instead of using plaster of Paris, a square rod may be employed, or the castings constructed with a mortise and tenon.

Partitions built in this way may immediately receive paper-hangings, and the room occupied as soon as the partition is finished.

Fig. 7 shows apartition constructed as above described.

A is the hollow casting, and B is the diagonally-placed partition-girder, which is entirely covered by the brick A. Partitions for halls, vestibules, anterooms, ofces, Snc., may be built of colored or painted castings, or of marble bricks. Hollow castings ot' plaster ot' Paris only cost one-third and weigh one-halt' of brick arches, which are now commonly used in fire-proof floors. The tubes in the castings may serve to communicate cold and hot air, inclose gas and water pipes, bell-wires, &c.; and a tire-proof oor or partition made of hollow plaster-of-Paris castings is constructed in less than haltA the time of any now known method.

The castings may be made of concrete, cement, clay, or any other suitable material 5 but I prefer plaster ot' Paris as the lightest and best material for this purpose. For inside partitions and floor-castings, plaster of Paris is used to the best advantage, but for outside work I propose using cement or concrete castings. Another advantage arising from the manner of constructing floors and ceilings as above described is that the plaster of Paris may be cast upon a mold having upon its upper surface any ornamental design which it may be desirable to transfer to the ceiling.

I am aware that a patent was granted to F.

D. Petersen, in 1855, for fire-prooi' doors, in construction somewhat similar to mine 5 but my invention is distinguished from that in several respects.

My nre-proof oors are made entirely of plaster ot' Paris. or any other suitable material, by castingY them on boards or molds span-4 ning from beam to beam, and forming the bol- Iow spaces b v cores; said boards and cores are afterward removed. Thus I dispense entirely with the tiles or hollow tubes which F. D. Petersen employs, and which are objectionable for various reasons, as they, for instance, augment the weight ot' the floors materially, are more expensive than mine, and require heavier beams to rest on. As the lower surface of Petersens tile-tubes are to be covered with plast-ering in order to tinish the ceiling, the construction' of his oors and ceilings must require more labor and time than mine, which are completely linished as soon as the molds or boards are removed.

What I claim as my invention, and desire tQ secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The tire-prooi' door', substantially as here in described, when it is constructed by east in gs of plaster or" Paris or other suitable material upon temporary molds or boards between the beams and around the cores to form hol* low spaces in such tire-proof doors.

2. A portable {ire-proof partition, constructedrof hollow castings, the ends and sides of which are provided with angular grooves A", lapping over and entirely covering the partition-girders, substantially as herein described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANTHONY WANNER.

Witnesses: NIELs PoULsoN, PAUL VrLLoY. 

